1971 N-code Factory Sunroof Newport

[ayilar]

@hp383 -- thank you for posting the photos, and placing the Newport in Council Bluffs in the nineties. Can you tell us more about the car's history prior to when you bought it?

It looks like the person to whom you sold it in Detroit "in the 97-98 time frame" must have later passed it on to someone else in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI whose son then sold it to the last (short-term) owner before I found the car. If memory serves, the father in GPW got the Newport around 2004 or so. He passed away before his son got the car in 2018 or 2019, and the son then later sold it to the final seller. The son did not know much about the car, so I tried to find more about her history through the Chris~Craft sticker that was already on the bumper under your ownership.

The boating store that sold the "Have you hugged your Chris Craft today?" sticker was located in Janesville, WI (not far from where I keep most of my cars in northern IL). It has the following information printed on it:

David Bortner
Special Interest, Antique and Classic Boats
456 North Parker Drive
Janesville, WI 53545​

and the accompanying (now disconnected) phone number.

I did a bit of internet research and found that, while the store is now closed, the son of the store owner is still around and lives in Minnesota, where he owns (surprise!) a classic boat business. I reached out to him via email and he was super-nice. We chatted at length. Unfortunately, although he and his father were car fanatics, he knew nothing about the Newport. Turns out that they sold lots of those stickers to boat owners in other states, through mail order, so he ventured that it is entirely possible the Newport never lived in Wisconsin. He offered to ask around through his Michigan contacts, but @saforwardlook and I got the last update from him in April of this year and nothing had come up.

Another question for @hp383: was the sticker already there when you bought the car? It looks worn out on the photos below, suggesting it was installed at an early stage of the car's life? Also, do you have more photos of the stickers on the driver-side rear window? They might allow one to track back the car's history.

 

[polara71]

Since the car was bought new for boat towing duties its likely the original owner put the sticker on there.

 

[ayilar]

Since the car was bought new for boat towing duties its likely the original owner put the sticker on there.

Looks like you know things about this Newport that I do not. The car does not have the A35 trailer towing package. How did you figure out the original owner's towing desire?

 

[HWYCRZR]

Post #113 gives the boat clues.

 

[ayilar]

Post #113 gives the boat clues.

Thank you. I missed that post somehow.

 

[polara71]

Looks like you know things about this Newport that I do not. The car does not have the A35 trailer towing package. How did you figure out the original owner's towing desire?

Yep, post 113. And you are the thorough guy.

 

[ayilar]

Yep, post 113. And you are the thorough guy.

Touché!

 

[hp383]

That decal was on the bumper when I bought it. In fact I didn't know what a Chris Craft was when I first saw it.

The window decals were just some performance parts decals I stuck on the 1/4 glass. Summit Racing, Edelbrock, etc. That came with parts I had bought.

 

[polara71]

Since the car was bought new for boat towing duties its likely the original owner put the sticker on there.

Looks like you know things about this Newport that I do not. The car does not have the A35 trailer towing package. How did you figure out the original owner's towing desire?

That decal was on the bumper when I bought it. In fact I didn't know what a Chris Craft was when I first saw it.

The window decals were just some performance parts decals I stuck on the 1/4 glass. Summit Racing, Edelbrock, etc. That came with parts I had bought.

I'm smarter than I look

 

[saforwardlook]

Wow, I spend the day working on one of my Imperials and I miss all the action until now!!!

After Ayilar and I ran up against a dead end trying to find more about the history of this car via the bumper decal, here it is finally!

What a small miracle!

Excellent!!!

Thanks to all involved

 

[saforwardlook]

Sorry about the hood pins, I was 22 and it was my cherished hotrod at the time.

Always garage kept during my tenure as caretaker, washed weekly, waked or polished monthly, with spray and wipe care care done nearly daily when it was uses as my daily driver.

I traded a very rusty 1964 D200 standard cab 3/4 ton flatbed truck straight across to a dealer for the Newport in the spring of 1992. Shes been to the 1/4 mile track at in Scribner, NE a few times for "run what ya' brung" events. For the most part it was my daily driver for about 3 years, then became my weekend cruiser for street cruising. During my ownership it had meticulous service, regular oil changes and maintenance, 20-50 Valvoline oil, WIX filter, and I did my best to keep the unicorn front ball joints in good condition. I kept the sunroof track, and drains clean and lubed, it never leaked when I had it.

I added the Edelbrock carb, and open element filter. (the original Holley was in bad shape).

The speedometer will bury the needle on the interstate if you have enough room to open it up, and isn't scary to run. It just sorta floated down the road.

I remember getting pulled over by the Iowa State Patrol one day on the way into Omaha Nebraska, from Glenwood Iowa. Not for speeding, but because my car "matched the description" of someone reportedly running firearms. I sat there on the side of the interstate for 20 minutes because I refused to allow the officer to search my vehicle without a search warrant.

I recall telling him there was no way my car was described as the car they were looking for. Even back then I knew it was a one of a very few cars made. Possibly the only one in its configuration.

What is also surprising is that after I ended up buying it, I also put Valvoline 20-50 motor oil in it (in my case the VR1) and a WIX anti drain back filter. What a small world!! The engine still seems to be in great shape too despite your burnouts and drag racing and maxing it out on the interstate. The 383-4 HP engines are superb!

 

[saforwardlook]

Steve, when do we get a pic by pic show of all your cars??

I would except that I wouldn't want Tallhair or Joey ticked off that I crashed the site!!!

 

[hp383]

What is also surprising is that after I ended up buying it, I also put Valvoline 20-50 motor oil in it (in my case the VR1). What a small world!! The engine still seems to be in great shape too despite your burnouts and drag racing and maxing it out on the interstate. The 383-4 HP engines are superb!

The burnouts, racing, and high speed max outs were rare, and far between. It was mostly driven with care, and even when driving in a spirited manner I never pushed it so hard as to damage it. It was a very fun car to own. I never should have sold it, but the opportunity to get a late B body, and a bracket race 383 built by Muscle Motors came up. That car too was a ton of fun, and I put it together to be able to handle the abuse of a street/strip car. So in the end it was a good decision, and the Newport gets to continue it's adventure.

If you ever hung out on Moparts in the late 90's through about 2009 you may have seen a few pictures and my posts asking for advice.

 

[saforwardlook]

Those may be the same tires I put on it shortly before I sold it. Do you recall if the receipt was from a tire shop in Council Bluffs? Possibly Bob's Tires?

I will see if I can find the receipt again and report back............

 

[detmatt]

I will see if I can find the receipt again and report back............

There may have been a receipt or 2 in the glove box but there was not a lot of paperwork with it. I do remember it still had the ASC sunroof manual still.

 

[hp383]

There may have been a receipt or 2 in the glove box but there was not a lot of paperwork with it. I do remember it still had the ASC sunroof manual still.

I made sure to include that with the car when it sold. Along with the owners manual.

 

[ayilar]

Here is what was in the glove box, unless @detmatt and @saforwardlook found more:

 

[saforwardlook]

Well, today I went back out to the 71 Newport and checked out the glovebox again.
I had seen the "Tires Inc" envelope and when I opened up the fold, there was a maintenance schedule and a folded warranty statement inside. But this time I looked more thoroughly and realized that inside the fold was not only the warranty statement but behind that was a pouch that wasn't self evident at first and yes, inside that pouch was a very thin copy of the sales receipt with all of your personal information on it!!! I can't believe I completely missed it being inside the pouch!

Oh well, the history is finally revealed and I am happy to have some of the provenance that goes with the vehicle now.........................

Sorry Ayilar! I need to be more thorough like you!

Thanks Jamie and Walter!

 

[hp383]

That is pretty neat to still be in there.

It had an original 71 owners manual when I sold it. But someone must have grabbed it and forgot to put it back in.

 

[saforwardlook]

That is pretty neat to still be in there.

It had an original 71 owners manual when I sold it. But someone must have grabbed it and forgot to put it back in.

It does seem someone must have taken the original owners manual then, but I would rather find the sunroof operating procedure pamphlet in there than only the original owners manual since I can usually find the latter comparatively easily compared to the sunroof pamphlet.

Thank you for your consideration!